Disposable applicator



July 5, 1955 G. A. RICE 2,712,315

DISPOSABLE APPLICATOR Filed March 26, 1954 GORDON A. RICE v INVENTOR.

United States Patent 01% ice 2,712,315 7 DISPOSABLE APPLICATOR Gordon A. Rice, Seattle, Wash, assignor to KLR Laboratories, Inc., Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Washington Application March 26, 1954, Serial No. 418,874

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-261) This invention relates to a disposable applicator-and, more particularly, toa combined package and applicator for introducing paste or gel-like materials into body orifices and which is disposable for hygienic and medicinal purposes.

orifice of a prescribed amount ofmaterial; which is simple and ready for use without contamination of the conment of relatively unskilled labor. 4 A The container cylinder 10 is an elongated tube formed preferable form, the paper sheet 11 has one face coated with a very thin film 16 of thermoplastic nature whereby the juxtaposed longitudinal'edges17 and 18 of sheet 11 may be secured against unwinding. by heating the same to fuse the therm an adjacent surface.

, 2,712,315- Patented July 5, 1955 tail in Figure 4, likewise is formed of a spirally wrapped sheet of paper 13, having an outer thermoplastic film or coating 20, similarly inert to the chemical components of the substance to be dispensed, and to water, which film serves to protect the paper body sheet 13 forming the tube.

While the rear or outward end of tube 12 may be left of thimble 24 more secure. a v The ejection end of tube 10 isclosed by means of cap 0 and the cupped or concave face 26 of thimble 24. By

one can vary the amount of'dispensable material contained within this applicator.

en it is desired that such a device he put to use, the user grasps the tab 28, labeled Pull, between the thumb. and forefinger and applies a slight pull to sever between the layers forming cap 14 and between cap 14 and tube 10. This permits the unwrapping of the cap 14. The poured-in- 3 and the pressure end of the plunger. For this reason, prior devices have employed a sealing cap having an annular flange that serves as a sealing ring between the plunger and the cylinder wall. Contrary to this prior practice, I find it undesirable and unnecessary to obtain such a tight seal and instead use generous tolerances. With clearances of between three and four thousandths of an inch between the plunger and the cylinder well, my device provides a clean ejection of material at in its gel-like or paste state, and such of the material as remains on the inner walls of tube 19 and passes restricted edge 22 of inner tube 12 serves to lubricate the forward movement of plunger 12 rather than to impede this motion. This of course greatly facilitates manufacture as the tolerances are quite liberal. Even tubes out of round work very satisfactorily.

My applicator is made of inexpensive materials so that one can dispose of it after use without economic sacrifice. Preferably, the cap, the cylinder tube, and the plunger, are formed of a prelarninated body paper hav ing a filmed surface of vinyl or wax or polyethylene nature that is resistant to moisture and inert to the chemical ingredients of the material 34 to be dispensed. It is preterable that the laminating film be of a nature that, upon the application of heat, will soften, and, when cool, will fuse to an, adjacent surface to insure that the spirally wrapped, tubular elements do not come apart in an undesirable manner. However the cylinder and plunger could be of extruded plastic tube construction.

The rounding over of tubes 1t and i2 is provided by inserting the same, after they have been formed, into a heated female or cup-shaped die, and then applying slight longitudinal pressure. This causes a softening of the material laminated to the paper sheet and a fusion in annular form around the ends of the cylindrical members as they are rounded over. The thimble Z4 is most practically formed from a relatively narrow strip of waxed or thermally softenable paper which is folded to double thickness and disposed over the end of an insert plunger. This assembly is then pressed into the rear or open end of tube 12 to position the thimble as shown in Figure 4. The gathering or puckering of the material from which the thirnble '24 is formed, rather than being undesirable, adds body to the plunger end and tends to strengthen it against collapse.

It will be seen that the device that has been described will dispense a correct and predetermined quantity of material to be administered. This device forms a package in which a charge of medicine or the like may be placed in a factory or laboratory, used quickly and easily, and then discarded after use without requiring sterilizing, cleansing, or storage for re-use.

Having thus described a preferred form'of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details shown but wish to cover those modification-s within the scope of my invention, which will occur to those skilled in the art, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An applicator for administering a semi-solid material into a body orifice, comprising: an outer tube and an inner tube extending partway into said outer tube and slidable telescopically therein and closure means closing the inner end of said inner tube and the corresponding end of said outer tube and semi-solid material to be administered filling the space in the outer tube between the closure means, the closure means for said inner end of said inner tube being a strip of waxed paper having a cup shape withthe cavity of the cup facing the other-end of the inner tube forming an internal thirnble closing said inner end and bonded in place, the closure means for said outer tube in'cluding a spirally wrapped strip forming an annular collar partially lapping the closure end of the outer tube and bonded thereto and a wax plug filling said annular collar and closing said outer tube and bonded to the spiral strip and to the outer tube with greater area of contact with the former whereby when the spiral strip is unwound the plug will remain adhered to the strip and clear the outer tube for dispensing of the material.

2. An applicator for administering a semi-solid material into a body orifice, comprising: an outer tube and an inner tube extending partway into sa'd outer tube and slidable telescopically therein and closure means closing the inner end of said inner tube and the corresponding end of said outer tube and semi-solid material to be administered filling the space in the outer tube between the closure means, said corresponding end of said outer tube being curved over and slightly restricted, the closure means for said outer tube including a spirally wrapped strip forming an annular collar partially lapping the closure end of the outer tube, the strip having an outstanding free outer end forming a tab to be grasped for unwinding, and a wax plug filling said annular collar and closing said outer tube and bonded to the spiral strip and to the outer tube with greater area .of contact with the former whereby when the spiral strip is unwound the plug will remain adhered to the strip and clear the outer tube for the dispensin g of the material.

3. An applicator for administering a semi-solid material into a body orifice, comprising: an outer tube and an inner tube extending partway into said outer-tube and slidable telescopically therein with generous tolerances and closure means closing the inner end of said inner tube and the corresponding end of said outer tube and semi-solid material to be administered filling the space in the outer tube between the closure means, the inner end edge of said inner tube being curved over and slightly restricted and permitting some of said material to pass saidinner end for lubrication between the tubes during the dispensing stroke of the inner tube and the closure means for the inner tube being internal of said tube and inside of the restricted inner end edge thereof and being formed by a cup shaped strip of waxed paper forming an internal thirnble-closing said inner end and bonded in place and the thimble having a concave face on its side toward said material whereby pressure from the material during dispensing will tend to press the thimble more tightly against the inner surfaces of said inner tube it abuts, and the closure means for said outer tube being manually removable.

4. An applicator for administering a semi-solid material into a body orifice, comprising: an outer tube and an inner plunger tube extending partway into said outer tube and slidable telescopically therein with generous tolerances and closure means closing the inner end of said inner tube and the corresponding end of said outer tube and semi-solid material to be administered filling th Sp ce in said outer tube between the closure means; said outer and inner tubes each being formed from a paper sheet rolled at least twice forming a cylindrical body and the sheet forming the outer tube having a thermoplastic coating on its inner surface and the longitudinal edges of the sheets being bonded to adjacent surfaces of the sheets, the thermoplastic coating being waterproof and chemically :inert to said semi-solid material, the inner end edge of said inner tube beingcurved over and slightly restricted and permitting some of said material to pass said inner end .for lubrication between the tubes during the dispensing stroke .of the "inner tube and the closure means for the inner tube being internal of said tube and inside of in: restricted inner end edge thereof, and :the ledge .ofrsaid corresponding end of said outer tube being curved over and slightly restricted and the closure means for said outer tube being manually removable.

' References Cited in the .file of this ,patent UNiTED vSTATES 'PATENIS 

